Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull about LACMA

Hollywood's contribution to art is indelible. Like a great painting, film demands we stop, sit, and experience the celluloid humanity unfolding before us. Film stirs emotions, viewpoints, ideas, and memories. Film might even enrich our lives more broadly and dramatically than music.

Great film teaches us about the human experience. Whether it is a sniffle, a laugh, or a sigh, the tribal communication among audience members viewing a film together in a theater heightens the experience. Imagine never seeing Kubrick's 2001, The Grapes of Wrath, or even Saturday Night Fever on a big screen. Without theatrical screenings, the director's intent for a bigger-than-life experience would be lost. In these days of CGI box office hits and humanistic flops, we all understand the need for a vibrant film program at the LACMA.

A robust film industry must take some major responsibility for its own artistic legacy. When Michael Govan announced the end of the weekend film program, people across L.A. screamed "foul." How could LACMA cancel the program that showcases America's most important films? I'm glad there is an outcry, but without donating the bucks to support the program the public complaints are nothing more than an irresponsible rant for someone else to take an active role.

Martin Scorsese's open letter to LACMA's head Michael Govan is flawed. Mr. Scorsese has never been a member of, or financially supported LACMA in anyway. Ever. Not a dime. Nada. Zip. His L.A. Times letter is an example of a bankrupting trend across California and America. Everyone wants to complain, but no one wants to pay. In LACMA's thirty plus years, the institution has received scant money from the film industry, certainly none commensurate with capacity and responsibility.

Los Angeles is entitled to a film program, but in a city where so many have prospered from the industry's fruits, the dearth of monies from Hollywood is shameful. We should be celebrating the LACMA's massive leaps forward. The Broads, the Resnicks, Wallis Annenberg, the Koticks, the Ahmansons and scores of others have been faithful to the institution, but it's always the same LA names. Where is the high-profile film community? With their endorsement, LACMA's film program could soar.

You're not entitled to a great institution; you have to make it happen. Instead of tearing down LACMA, Mr. Scorsese might have celebrated LACMA, making the case for his professional peers to pony up monies for an endowment. The museum has said five million dollars would fund the current program. Over two weeks after the announcement, no significant monies have come forward -- just bellowing, a petition, and finger pointing.

In a weekend telephone interview, Mr. Govan assured me that the LACMA film program will survive but it needs reorganization and an endowment. He expressed a rousing desire to claim film as art. Govan reiterated that L.A.'s art lovers devote millions of dollars to traditional art, but no patrons are pledged to the film program. He expressed that perhaps that's because not a single Hollywood mogul or star has stepped forward to lead the way.

New Yorkers have long claimed that L.A. is culturally anemic. Hollywood holds the key to America's biggest art form; filmmakers need to think bigger about their own legacy to American culture. A viable film program doesn't just show movies. In our conversation, Mr. Govan expressed a vision for LACMA's future that embraces film's practitioners. For the cultural significance of L.A. to soar, we need filmmakers who support fine film's important contribution to the world. Great artists appreciate great art. Mr. Scorsese should uplift the art of film with his wallet.

Los Angeles must celebrate itself in a committed way; in turn, cinema will have the power to reshape art. It's a rare time in history that artists are flush enough to support the elevation of their own work. Hollywood's creative community has the resources to build for the public. Why are they so tight when in comes to money but so conspicuous when it comes to self-aggrandizing?

Los Angeles' cultural self-confidence needs a shot in the arm. It's always difficult to give yourself the injection, but now is the time for the film community to grab their monetary syringe. Step up to the plate, Hollywood. In a town where we spend boatloads on self-promotions, the price of Hollywood championing its own legacy is equal to the budget of one small film.

Culture shapes attitudes. Philanthropy from some high profile names would acknowledge our responsibility to solve society's ills and not just complain. In his closing statement, Mr. Scorsese states, "I hope that LACMA will reverse this unfortunate decision." I hope Mr. Scorsese loosens up his purse strings long enough to put his money where his mouth is. Until then, there's always Netflix and a lamentation for a more discerning viewing public at the multiplex. Oh, the shame.

Tom Gregory and his significant other, David Bohnett, through the David Bohnett Foundation, have made a multi-year, multi-million dollar commitment to LACMA.

 

Comments

[oldschoololdsoul]

Academic apathy for classic media and pop culture history has as much to do with a disrespect for the past than it has to do with limited financing. And it's been that way for quite some time now. Ever since the advent of the 2 dreaded Rs---rap and reality shows---has the Hollywood zeitgeist gone in the toilet. Let's remember, generations X, Y and Z are not symbolized at the end of the alphabet for nothing. And to blame lax support of good old days films on a lack of money hides the specter of institutional ageism.

[RightWingRalph]

Yeah, we pay about 16,000 per student here in the U.S., you do not think that is enough ? Had the residents of New Orleans engaged in a little self reliance in stead of waiting on the government to tell them to get out of the way of a hurricane in a flood zone, they would not have had their problems, that they re-elected the utterly incompetent Ray Nagin tells you all you need to know about their utter ignorance.

[bossboi]

It is about time that someone put these two faced whistle blowers in their place. I also believe that Mr Scorses set himself up for this and was a PERFECT target for this article. You do NOT write an open letter whining and complaining about something not only, that you have NOT supported but blast the very organization that you have not supported! This has been tough times for many people myself included but if something takes place I do not like I do not talk about it, I TAKE ACTION! Writing a letter the way Mr Scorses would have been fine with out all the newspaper, drama production. This is a very important issue and the program should not be cut, but a man of that financial back ground should be ASHAMED of what little action he has taken to remedy the situation, which he could have done four or five years ago when he was not struggling with film financing. GOOD FOR YOU TOM! Someone needs to put people in their places when really actions speak louder than words, and there has been little action from his (M. Scorsese) end of the bargain.

[LMPE]

This involves an even bigger problem. Our resistance to paying taxes has strained our educational system. Most industrialized countries, even with smaller economies than the US, pay high taxes and are thus able to educate all their children. The Netherlands has always maintained the levee system in case of a hurricane; had New Orleans done that, Katrina might have not done anything.

Any questions?

[johnwinner]

"Mr. Scorsese should uplift the art of film with his wallet." He has; for many years now Mr. Scorsese has been of material support for the Eastman House/ Dryden Theater archive in Rochester NY which I believe is the second largest in the nation. Your call for more funding and less compliaining is understandable, but it's a mistake to target Scorsese.

[Alternoid]

We can perhaps pardon Scorsese from a contribution because of the financial hemorrhage of a series of films like Streets of New York, which lost him so much money that long time staff were laid off and production offices closed. He's paid for film in that perspective, and maybe a little respect for his voice, anyway.

However, the point about Hollywood in general is well taken. Hollywood does not invest in anything from which the producers cannot make money. Certainly giving away money is just not in their DNA. The very fabric of Hollywood culture, including irreplaceable film icons like Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis house, for example, continue to rot in place. People like the late Lloyd Rigler stepped up to save the Egyptian Theater, not anyone who made money at that box office.

And the power is not with the talent, even though it is wonderful to see the dazzle of stars on the red carpet. Remember that however much money a star makes, someone else is paying him or her. The real money is in the corporate offices, and these same corporations are the ones that should be funding things like the LACMA film series. Full disclosure: I am a paid up LACMA member, have worked in the film industry, and do not have a screenplay in development.

[obg]

Los Angeles might be entitled to a film program, but HuffPost readers are entitled to an explanation as to what the acronym LACMA stands for.

[curtis7676]

Los Angeles County Museum of Art